Machines for producing ground bores or for replacing old pipes may consist of pneumatically driven ram-boring machines that draw a pipeline conduit into the ground bore produced by the machine. The machine may simultaneously shatter an existing old pipe with its tip. In this case, the machine follows the progression of the old pipe and draws the new pipeline conduit into the thusly formed free ground bore.
The new pipeline conduit drawn into the ground bore is subjected to dynamic forces caused by the machine as well as the frictional forces in the ground bore. Consequently, a solid, shock-resistant connection between the ground-boring machine and the pipeline conduit must be ensured.
If the pipeline conduit is drawn in from a channel shaft, the pipeline conduit must consist of individual pipes, the length of which is smaller than the diameter or the internal dimension of the channel shaft such that the individual pipes can be axially attached to the end of the pipeline conduit when the pipe is drawn from the shaft into the ground bore.
If the pipeline conduit is a pressure water conduit, the individual pipes can be connected to one another by means of threads that are able to withstand relatively high axial forces. However, it is quite problematic to ensure a secure connection to the ground-boring machine because the aforementioned shocks and vibrations occur in this case. The threads are not able to withstand these shocks and vibrations as well as the high axial forces due to the continuous stress concentration.
When drawing in waste water pipes, in which the sleeve joint is realized in self-sealing fashion or tight ring seals are used for sealing the sleeve, particularly high joining forces are required for connecting two individual pipes. Despite this requirement, pipeline connections of this type are usually not resistant to tension under the influence of the vibrations produced by the ram-boring machine. Consequently, it is necessary to draw in these pipes via traction means (e.g., a chain or cable).